


Six

by nagi_schwarz



Series: Paint The Sky With Stars [50]
Category: Night World - Fandom, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Witches, Crossover, Fusion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 13:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7935568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the comment_fic prompt: "Any, any vampire, 5 times they drank blood + 1 time they did not."</p><p>John Sheppard, half-vampire.</p><p>Episode Tags.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Six

1\. _Conversion_  
  
When John was losing his mind, was losing his body, he drank. All the time. The thirst burned in his throat, on his lips, he could taste it on his tongue with every breath. He wanted blood. He needed blood. Ellia had tried to feed on him, almost overpowered him, and for the first time, he drank Wraith blood. And it tasted good. But she’d infected him, too. At first the scientists had been afraid he was mutating, he was changing. Maxwell the zoologist fretted, predicted scales, blue skin, the Iratus DNA turning him into a proto-Wraith.  
  
No one had predicted that John would be beautiful, with golden eyes (also Redfern eyes), his skin dusky blue, just a hint of shining, of scales at his throat and wrists, the claws making his hands seem long-fingered and graceful.  
  
And then the Iratus changes reached his mind, his brain, and whatever parts of John Sheppard were non-vampire were…gone. He’d get hungry, he’d smile, and he had whoever he wanted in his arms, giving him their throats, and he drank.  
  
Evan and Carson saved him in the end, Carson with magic and Evan with brute strength that John had not previously appreciated.  
  
2\. _The Long Goodbye_  
  
Thelan thought if he fed on Beckett, on Teyla, took advantage of John’s vampirism, he’d finally be able to defeat Phoebus. So he sucked down on them and a couple of hapless Marines, and he went on the run.  
  
Once again, everyone underestimated Evan, who tracked them down, knocked them out, and helped Carson restrain them in the infirmary till the imprints died.  
  
Evan didn’t look at all betrayed, that Thelan-in-John had kissed Phoebus-in-Elizabeth.  
  
John felt betrayed, that his mind had surrendered its secrets without hesitation.  
  
John felt tired, tired of vampire withdrawals yet again.  
  
3\. _Lost Boys_  
  
“I don’t need Wraith enzyme, Ford,” John said. “If it’s poisonous to me, I’ll metabolize it.” He wasn’t strictly sure that was true, because while witches were tough, they weren’t as tough as vampires, and after his experience with being part Iratus, he wasn’t sure his body would treat Wraith enzyme as poisonous.  
  
Ford leaned in, peered at John. “Oh yeah?” Then he offered his wrist. “Juice up.”  
  
John hesitated. Saw the panic in Rodney’s eyes, Teyla’s fear. Ronon’s expression was dark, furious.  
  
They needed whatever advantage they could to get out of this alive.  
  
So John said, “All right.” And he bit.  
  
As it turned out, one half-vampire could not take on a whole lot of humans hopped up on Wraith enzyme. But he could wreak havoc on a Hive ship.  
  
4\. _Common Ground_  
  
When the other prisoner asked, “Do you blame the Wraith, or the Master?” John said, “The Master,” because he knew what hunger was like, knew what starvation was like, and he couldn’t blame a half-starved Wraith for wanting to live instead of wanting to die.  
  
John realized, perhaps a beat too late, because he’d just been fed on, “When did you hear them call me ‘Sheppard’?”  
  
“Just before I started to feed.”  
  
“Feel better?” John asked.  
  
“It’s never enough. You taste - different.”  
  
“I’m not human,” John said.  
  
“What are you?”  
  
“More like you than you could ever know.” John stepped closer to the bars. “I have an idea, but you’re not going to like it.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Come closer,” John said, “and I’ll tell you.”  
  
He’d fed on a Wraith once. He could do it again.  
  
He’d held out on using his vampiric skills the last time Cowan had taken him, sicced Evan on the Genii instead. This time, he didn’t hold back, treaty with Sora Tyrus and her people be damned. The look on the guards’ faces when they came to get John and he looked as young and hale as before he’d been fed on was terribly gratifying.

He tore out their throats, and he tore through the rest of the base, and when he made it back through the gate, he pulled Rodney into his arms for a bloody kiss, and then Evan shot him with a stunner, and it was withdrawal time again.  
  
5\. _Travelers_  
  
John was trapped on an alien ship with hostile natives who had Ronon-style blasters and who were threatening to either space him or rape him if he didn’t get this Ancient ship running.  
  
To hell with that.  
  
When Larrin - who put far too much stock in her physical charms - sent her goons to get John, well, John fed on them. They weren’t expecting it, to get pounced on and bit. He didn’t kill them, though, but took enough blood that they’d be unconscious for a while, would need medical attention.  
  
And then he sat back, and he closed his eyes, and he waited. Felt the blood rush through him, felt his senses unfurling, his mind expanding.  
  
The soulmate bond was weakened by distance, but not destroyed.  
  
He reached out to Rodney, assured Rodney he was all right.  
  
A soulmate bond, however, was not sufficient to enable Rodney to track to his location over this distance. So he pretended to be compliant with Larrin - putting the whammy on her enough that she didn’t notice her unconscious men - and sent a subspace communication.  
  
When the Wraith came - because of course the Wraith came - John gave Larrin two choices: work with him, or die. Because he could take them on, juiced up like he was, pick them off one at a time.  
  
She made the right choice.  
  
“Here’s the thing,” John said, “on Atlantis, we like to be nice. You want help? We’ll help you. We have Gene carriers left and right and engineers who can work with Ancient Tech. Next time, just ask. Or next time, I bite.”  
  
He sensed when Rodney was close, and he went, reclaimed his jumper, and met up with Rodney, who was in a jumper Evan was piloting.  
  
He’d ask Keller to put him in a medical coma so the vampire blood - and the memories - could burn out of him in sleep.  
  
1\. _Outcast_  
  
John knew everyone was watching him warily, with Ronon his shapeshifter companion, as he move through the crowd. He paid his respects to Grandma Harman, to Galen Drache and Raksha Keller, his soulmate. He paid his respects to Iliana Dominick Harman, Grandma’s heir apparent now that Thea was apparently Lost. He paid his respects to Delos and Ash Redfern, his cousins, He greeted Nancy politely, and her new husband Grant. And, finally, he went to say hello to his brother.  
  
“John.” Dave wore a simple, pale linen shift. During the day, when the humans had been by for the wake, Dad’s business partners, he’d probably dressed straight out of GQ.  
  
“Dave.” John was wearing a shift as well, and it felt awkward, because it had been so long since he’d worn ceremonial clothes. It felt like the first time he’d put on his military uniform.  
  
Ronon was left with the rest of the non-council. Galen, Iliana, Grandma Harman, Delos and Ash, John and Dave were the only ones who accompanied the casket out to the burial grounds far, far from the house. They stood in a circle. The shapeshifters and vampires built the pyre, hoisted the casket onto the pyre, and stepped back. The witches cast the fire.  
  
As the flames danced skyward, John said goodbye to his father.  
  
And everyone raised their voices to sing.  
  
John hadn’t sung this song since his mother.  
  
And when the song ended, the others drifted away, leaving John and Dave to watch the last of their father depart this world.  
  
“John,” Dave said quietly. “Stay. Be at my side.”  
  
“I can’t,” John said. What he was doing was so much bigger than just one world, even the Night World.  
  
Dave held out his wrist. “John. Stay.” He was offering his blood.  
  
John said, “No.”


End file.
